


Not As It Seems

by karasunova



Series: Harmony Drabbles & One-Shots [16]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, F/M, Fluff, Magic, Not Hogwarts/Wizarding World, Storybookish
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-09
Updated: 2020-05-09
Packaged: 2021-03-02 23:53:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,129
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24085408
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/karasunova/pseuds/karasunova
Summary: Witch Hermione has lived in relative peace in the village of Hogsmeade. In Hogsmeade village, the magical and mundane lived in relative harmony. The villagers liked and appreciated Witch Hermione very much and came to the conclusion that she must be lonely.
Relationships: Hermione Granger/Harry Potter
Series: Harmony Drabbles & One-Shots [16]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1353142
Comments: 4
Kudos: 94
Collections: Hermione's Haven Bingo 2020





	Not As It Seems

**Author's Note:**

> Written for Hermione's Haven Bingo 2020  
> Square: N3 - Free Space
> 
> Wanted this one to read like storybook story. Also, inspired by a prompt I saw on Pinterest (I'll share the prompt here once I find it again).

In Hogsmeade village, the magical and mundane lived in relative harmony. Witches and wizards did their shopping alongside regular people. Regular people frequented the shops of the magical alike. It was all very friendly. 

Therefore, in a village where people were friendly and know who was who - gossip was a regular occurrence. 

One person who was regularly gossiped about was the witch, Hermione. 

Witch Hermione lived in a cottage at the end of Godric’s Lane. Secluded enough to not disturb her neighbors when her experiments went awry, but close enough to the village that she can walk to and fro without hitching a ride from a nearby farmer. 

To be honest, Witch Hermione was not all that beautiful. But she also wasn’t all that ugly. What made her memorable wasn’t her looks, but her presence. 

The women gossips were sure she had enchanted them all, but when they asked some other witches and wizards, they stated she had no such enchantments. 

Unsatisfied, the gossip mill began to churn out something different and unfounded. It was true that Witch Hermione lived alone. Whenever someone came to her for a potion for their ailments or a charm, they never saw anyone else in her cottage. 

They came to a logical conclusion. She must be lonely! 

The village gossips began to debate on who could be the perfect companion for Witch Hermione. 

She needed someone intelligent, they stated. 

Someone strong!

Perhaps a witch or wizard, like herself. 

They all meant well, but they forgot one crucial thing. 

They forgot to ask Witch Hermione for her opinion. 

Was the bushy-haired brunette lonely? Not really, no. She had her friends and her familiars. She was content. 

She was also growing increasingly tired of the gossip and supposed suitors coming to her door. She complained as much to her friend Ron, who owned the farm that ran against her property. 

She pouted into her mug of tea. “I’m perfectly fine.”

“I know you’re fine, Mione.” He set down a plate of freshly baked cookies. “They just have nothing else to occupy themselves with. Let it be.” 

As Witch Hermione’s popularity continued to grow, a newcomer came to the village. Living on the opposite end of Ron’s farm, Wizard Harry set up his home and business. 

Venturing into the village, he began to hear rumors and gossip about a witch, who apparently was powerful, intelligent, and beautiful. 

Well, he knew his fair share of powerful-intelligent-beautiful witches and determined to meet one more. So, he traversed the village and walked down Godric’s Lane, searching for said witch. 

There was no one in sight when he arrived, only the Weasley family’s sheep and a ginger cat who sat upon the short wall surrounding the witch’s home.

Wizard Harry leaned against the stone wall and greeted the cat as if they were old friends. “Have you met this witch? According to the village, she’s all powerful-intelligent-beautiful. I’m sure it’s true, but I’d like to meet her myself.” He examined the cat, taking in its jeweled toned eyes. He patted its head. “Well, I’ll see you around, little cat.” 

Wizard Harry returned to his home without having a chance to meet the witch. 

Weeks passed and Witch Hermione’s suitors were becoming increasingly troublesome. They arrived with flowers, recited poems, left her gifts. It was disrupting her research and her business. 

Her usual patrons were getting concerned. 

“Witch Hermione,” the Fisherman pulled her aside, “I think it’s time you do something.”

She sighed deeply. “Like what? I can’t very well use my magic to stop them. That wouldn’t be right. And I can’t threaten them, the village would get scared of me.”

The Fisherman looked upon her sadly. “Perhaps, you should just pick one.”

“Pick a suitor?” She cried. 

When Witch Hermione was younger she never thought she’d find herself in a situation like this. She wasn’t chased around by her schoolmates like some of the other witches and wizards. She was studious and kept to herself mostly. This was all new to her. 

But, she didn’t want to pick someone among these suitors. She wanted to fall in love. She could not see her falling in love with the carpenter Cormac or the magistrate’s son, Viktor. No, no. 

She looked out the window from her study. If only - no, that’s impossible. He’s long gone now, living the high life in the city most likely. 

Harry. Whatever became of him?

She got to her feet and stretched her arms over her head. She took a deep breath. She knew what to do. 

A few days later, a notice was posted on Witch Hermione’s front door. 

_ I will marry the person who can take the ring from my cat’s collar. But, be careful, she scratches.  _

And thus, the competition began. 

The first day was terrible - for one, no one found the cat. They knew what it looked like. Black fur and brown eyes. Perhaps Witch Hermione told her familiar of its new job and it got mad. 

However, the cat appeared in the village the following evening, traipsing down the dirt-packed street like nothing. 

The ring around its collar gleamed. 

There were quite a few developments. One of Witch Hermione’s suitors gave up immediately - they were allergic to cats. 

The village gossips were also feeling slightly morose, upset with themselves that they placed Witch Hermione in this position. They regretted it deeply. 

So, whenever it seemed like the black cat needed some rejuvenation or peace from being chased, they readily opened their doors and fed it leftover fish. 

The cat ventured all over the village. Dodging and sneaking out from traps, running up trees, scratching faces. 

The cat eventually found itself on the other side of the Weasley farm, coming across a home it hadn’t realized was inhabited. 

However, something about it smelled familiar. A vision of unruly dark hair came to its mind. 

The door to the cottage swung open, smacking against the wall. 

“This village has gone completely mad. Or perhaps, I’ve gone mad?” He stepped out, moonlight falling over him. “I came here to start over, maybe, if possible, forget about her and what do I hear? The witch everyone is talking about shares her name!” 

He rubbed his hands over his face. “Is it possible? Could it be her?”

The cat jumped onto the low stone wall and meowed. 

The man jumped. His shoulders relaxed slightly. “Oh, hello.” He stepped closer and reached his hand out. 

The cat turned it’s head slightly. 

“I haven’t seen you around.” He rubbed the top of the cat’s head. “Have you heard? Apparently, the powerful-intelligent-beautiful witch is choosing her future partner based on who can take the ring from her cat’s collar. She’s not so intelligent, in my opinion,” he grumbled. 

The cat batted his hand away. 

The man sighed. “It’s the witch who lives on the other side of this farm. Have you seen her? Perhaps, you’ve met her cat. It’s a fluffy ginger thing. The witch, her name is Hermione. What are the chances it could be her?” He reached out again, rubbing his finger over the cat’s paw. “I’ve been meaning to go introduce myself. I got called away by the academy, something about a loose basilisk and now that I’m back I feel like I’ll come across as rude.”

He groaned aloud. “And what if it is her? What will I do then? She’ll hate me even more than she probably already does.” He petted the cat’s head. “You should go home, cat. I’m too depressed for company.” 

The cat scampered off. 

Witch Hermione stumbled into her home and burst into tears. “Harry, Harry is here.” She whipped her head at Crookshanks, her actual familiar. “Did you know? And you didn’t tell me?” 

She fell atop her bed. “Merlin’s beard, what am I going to do? He thinks I’m sort of fool. I’m going to choose my suitor based on who can take the ring off the cat. Off me!” 

She turned to her side and gazed out the window. “Do you think I should go see him?”

She fell asleep thinking about it. The following morning, her decision was unnecessary as said wizard had arrived. 

“So, it is, you.” He leaned over the stone wall that separated her garden from the dirt road. 

Hermione slowly stood up and wiped her fingers on her apron. 

He lightly perused her figure. “You look good.” 

She crossed her arms over her chest. “Thank you. So do you.” 

“May I -”

“What are -”

Wizard Harry couldn’t help the smile that came to his face. “Go ahead.”

“What are you doing here?” she asked. 

He blinked. “Here at your home? Or here in Hogsmeade?”

“Both?”

He licked his lips. “May I come in?”

She took a deep breath and nodded. 

Harry walked through the open gate, quickly reading the note posted on her front door. He followed her around the cottage and to a small pond. 

She sat on a large boulder and he sat down beside her. 

“I ran away,” he told her after a few moments of silence. 

“What?”

“Alright, well not run away exactly. I just wanted to start over, somewhere new.” He turned his gaze to where her hand rested on the stone. He stretched his fingers, making them touch. 

Hermione bit her lip. 

“Hermione,” his voice was low, “is there a chance? Do you think I -”

Suddenly, her cat jumped onto her lap, startling them both. 

Disappointed, but Harry smiled at the cat nonetheless. “Hello, you.” He petted it’s head and felt for its collar. “Your cat doesn’t have a ring.” His expression darkened. “Does that mean someone’s already taken it?”

Hermione began to blush. “Oh, no. It’s not Crookshanks who has the ring. It’s my other cat. It’s black.” 

“Oh? What’s its name?”

“...Maia?”

“Maia? Are you sure?” He smiled at her. He tucked some hair behind her ear. “I missed you, Hermione. Do I even have a chance -?”

“Witch Hermione?” A voice called. “Are you home? I would like to pick up my charm.”

Hermione pushed Crookshanks off her lap and walked away without another word. 

Harry’s gaze followed her until she was out of sight. He turned to Crookshanks. “I’m going to get that ring.”

Determined to reconnect with his old friend, Wizard Harry began to find out Maia-cat’s usual haunts. However, she was rather unpredictable. The only thing that was a common occurrence was the chases she led around the village and the traps she escaped from. 

He felt bad for the cat but admired the creature. It was doing it’s very best in protecting its master. 

He began to see the cat on his way home from the market. Was it after his food? Or just liked his company? He didn’t know, but he didn’t take the time together for granted. 

He admitted to Maia-cat that he had admired Hermione for years, holding quite the crush on her when they were at the Academy. The one time he tried to tell her his true feelings, he completely cocked it up, making her fall into the school’s fountain at the end of the Spring Ball. She was embarrassed and she believed he did it on purpose. 

“Malfoy, a classmate of ours, spread that nasty rumor around and despite how much I tried to reassure her, she couldn’t believe me. She was too sad. Then, we graduated and she left.” 

They parted ways in his garden. “I just wish I had told her how I felt sooner. I still feel the same way. I never stopped.” 

Maia-cat returned to Harry’s cottage the following night. Harry was ecstatic. 

He petted the cat and tucked his finger beneath the collar. “The thing is, I don’t want to take it. You know her well, Maia. I’d rather you give it to me than me take it.” 

Maia rubbed her head against his arm and presented her neck to him. 

He laughed lightly. “Is this you giving it to me? Are you sure?” 

Maia stepped closer and presented her neck again. 

He unclasped the ring from and Maia disappeared in a poof of smoke. 

He began to yell. “Maia! Merlin’s pants I killed the cat.”

The smoke dissipated and a nervous-looking Hermione stood before him. 

“Hermione?” he breathed. 

She bit her lip. “Did you really mean what you said? About you -”

“Yes,” he blurted. “I love you. I’ve loved you since we were kids.” 

Tears pricked the corners of her eyes. “I love you too!” She launched herself into his arms, knocking them both to the ground. 

He took a few breaths, trying to regain his composure. He looked up and was stunned by her warm brown eyes. “So, when did you learn how to turn into a cat?”


End file.
